title: Differential expression of RDC1/CXCR7 in the human placenta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chemokine receptor expression by human trophoblast and other placental cells have important implications for understanding the regulation of placental growth, development, and their role in maternofetal HIV transmission. CXCR7, now a deorphanized G protein coupled receptor that has been recently shown to bind to the ligands ITAC and CXCL12 has been proposed to act as a co-receptor for HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV strains. The differential expression of CXCR7 in the human placenta is not yet reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of CXCR7 was studied in 45 different human placental tissues, of which 20 were from early placental tissues (8-10 week old) obtained from medically terminated pregnancies and 25 were placenta from normal term deliveries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analysis revealed a greater expression of CXCR7 in term human placenta as compared to the early stage. This was further confirmed by real-time PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study reveals, for the first time, the differential expression of CXCR7 in early (8-10 weeks) and term human placenta. The precise role of CXCR7 in the human placenta needs to be determined. HIV vertical transmission is reported to occur mainly during the end stages of pregnancy. Our finding of increased CXCR7 expression in the term human placenta therefore warrants future studies to assess its role in the vertical transmission of HIV-1.
authors.affiliation: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Vishwas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Romsha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dinda
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: Jagdeep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Kalpana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luthra
mesh_terms: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D054387:Receptors, CXCR / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C501896:ACKR3 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D054387:Receptors, CXCR